Round 1: Dan Emmons vs. Kelly Smith

Mary Van Tyne

Kelly hails from Ogden, Utah, and was already qualified through his participation in a JSS qualifier. Dan is from Woodbury, Connecticut, and also qualified through a JSS qualifier. "I'd like to say hi to my mother, who's back home in Utah this weekend," Kelly said. Dan also sent out similar greetings. "Hi, Mom!" he added.

Game 1

"Man, I feel like such a hick," Kelly said when he saw his name presented in the Feature Match area.

Dan added a Wirewood Herald to his side of the table, and attacked for two with the Husk. On his next attack step, Dan attacked with the Husk and sacrificed the Herald to make it larger, then searched out another Herald with the first's ability.

Kelly surveyed his options carefully, then played Mirari's Wake. Dan remained unfazed, then declared another attack step, sacrificing the Herald to the Husk one more time. He elected to search out another Wirewood Herald, then played a Phantom Centaur during his second main phase.

Kelly played a Wrath of God, leaving a blue and a white mana floating. Dan scooped up all his creatures and searched with the Herald. Kelly followed up the Wrath with a flashed-back Deep Analysis, going to 6. After perusing his options thoroughly, he played a Mirari and passed the turn.

"Declare my attack step?" Dan asked tentatively as he swung his creatures into the Red Zone. Kelly just smiled and played his Moment's Peace. When Dan had nothing else to do, Kelly cast Cunning Wish and copied it with Mirari. He chose to find Flash of Insight (which Dan read quickly) and a Ray of Revelation. Kelly cast the Ray at Dan's Cemetery and cycled Renewed Faith, going back up to 7 life.

What had seemed like almost a lock for Dan has slowly swung back the other way. With eight mana, Kelly cast another Mirari's Wake and then a face-down morph creature. He then unmorphed Exalted Angel, and passed the turn to Dan.

Kelly's next play was Compulsion, and he got rid of a Plains and an Island. He attacked with the Angel, and Dan's life total dropped to 14. When Dan played a Stronghold Assassin, Kelly let it resolve. Dan attacked with his whole team, forcing Kelly to flash back the Moment's Peace from his graveyard.

At Dan's end step, Kelly cycled Renewed Faith. He played another Island and a face-down morph creature. Dan played another Forest and the Wirewood Herald, then attacked with the Husk. When Kelly blocked with his morph creature, Dan sacrificed the Herald and searched out another one.

Kelly kept playing more lands, and Dan attacked with the Nantuko Husk on his next turn. He sacrificed all the Birds of Paradise, then played a Caller of the Claw and sacrificed all the Bear tokens as well. Kelly scooped up his cards in dismay.

Dan Emmons 1 – Kelly Smith 1

Game 3

Both players were understandably concerned about the amount of time left for this pivotal third game, but the judge quickly allayed those fears. Kelly chose to play first this time, and led with Grand Coliseum.

Kelly was understandably dismayed by the judge's ruling, but kept on playing as well as he could. Dan then set up a perpetual Braids lock, with one in the graveyard and one in play at all times. With no cards in hand, he surveyed his options as Kelly used another Krosan Verge to get some more lands.

Kelly played a Deep Analysis, and also opted to flash it back, going to 12 life. He discarded a Moment's Peace during his discard phase. On his next turn, Dan attacked with Braids and the Assassin, then played a Nantuko Husk and passed the turn.

Dan played a Nantuko Husk, then stared at the last card in his hand and passed the turn. Kelly played a Compulsion, then passed the turn as time was called. Dan played another Nantuko Husk on his first extra turn, then attacked with the previous Husk and sacrificed the new one for two extra points.

Kelly finally played a Mirari's Wake, and attacked with the Angel. He played another Exalted Angel, and passed the turn. On Dan's last turn, he played a Birds of Paradise and passed the turn. Kelly played a Cunning Wish on his final turn, Wishing for Opportunity and then casting it. Seeing no ways to deal with the lone Bird of Paradise blocker, the game (and match) ended in a draw.